I thought this might be a fun question. I hope to be able to participate in answering this question myself in the coming year if all goes well.

How many years have you all been an officer? If retired now, how many did you put in during your career?

CAcop

05-21-2011 23:39

Almost 14 now.

Seasoned?

SAR

Crustiest?

Dragoon

ateamer

05-21-2011 23:43

22 years, all with the same agency. A total of 18 years in patrol and four in court security. (One-year rotations in courts.) I should be back in patrol within a month. Six years until I can retire, seven until it's maxed out.

KiloBravo

05-21-2011 23:44

Quote:

Originally Posted by CAcop
(Post 17381766)

Almost 14 now.

Seasoned?

SAR

Crustiest?

Dragoon

:rofl: I was wondering how long it would take for an old fart joke about Dragoon. :supergrin:

texmex

05-21-2011 23:48

I started on August 17, 1974.

South Fla

05-21-2011 23:57

Retired - 25 years, 2 months

Seasoned - Probably SAR

A real gunfighter - Dragoon

Best Gear Guys - Cochese and DaBigBR

Best Legal Eagle - wprebeck

Guys that you would want to ride with - CAcop & Lawman800

The Racker

05-22-2011 00:06

Lordy, lordy. Such a question. I started in 1970 with a badge and a wheel gun. I then spent 36 years of having a great time in service. On my last day, I hated to go but I had to admit that jumping fences and chasing bad buys down the street was not as easy as it used to be (although I learned years ago that I could streight arm and knock down most wooden fences in back yards).

I am sure that some people would tell you that I was over seasoned but anyone who has sat in a patrol unit for a while can tell you experience counts. I found I did not like "desks."

At one time, I was in a class where the instructor had everyone tell what they had done. I was about number 7. It was easy to say, "yep, I have done what they all said." It was a great ride and I worked with great people. I do not miss the Bravo Sierra.

Now, I am a "used-to-be." I like that just fine.

Vigilant

05-22-2011 00:19

Honorable mention for our old friend DEATHROW, a VERY seasoned CO. Wish he were still here.

Vigilant

05-22-2011 00:22

Blueiron and 4949 also come to mind. And lest we forget, Blueiron's famous punchline:

"Hey hillbilly, did you even meet your sperm donor?" :thumbsup:

DaBigBR

05-22-2011 01:02

Well I'm certainly not it. This August will only be eight years.

There was a Lieutenant with the university police here in my area that just retired after 40 years. Came OTJ in 1970, all of his time with the same agency. I think he is 62 or 63, so he could technically have stuck it out a couple more years. Really cool guy.

Doubletaps5105

05-22-2011 01:04

Sworn in as Reserve in 1977, Regular with the same department on March 17, 1980 due to retire on May 29,2011. I then revert back to a Reserve (To keep my lettered M-4) on May 30,2011
from there we will see how it goes. I still have a sense of humor after 12 chiefs.

MeefZah

05-22-2011 02:04

Good thread!

4949shooter

05-22-2011 04:33

Vig,

I feel I am not worthy but thank you, Sir.

My vote is a tie between Dragoon, SAR, and blueiron.

4949shooter

05-22-2011 04:39

Mas Ayoob should be mentioned also.

Cochese

05-22-2011 04:41

Wow, honorable mention for being a gear queer! I'll take it. :supergrin:

I started the academy about when I joined GlockTalk. Serving since 2004. Three departments, two states. City, county, and state level. Would love to go Fed.

Cochese

05-22-2011 04:42

The only thing salty on me is my vest carrier and my armpits.

Rohniss

05-22-2011 05:38

Definitely not me, I'm a FNG with 3 years, but where I'm working I am blessed with the tales of "the way things used to be"... as we hire lots of retired surrounding municipalities...

Following the thread for the possibility of story time...

My Vote is for Dragoon, SAR or Mas...

Quote:

Originally Posted by Cochese

Wow, honorable mention for being a gear queer! I'll take it. :supergrin:

I prefer "Geardo", but bow to your superiority :D

txleapd

05-22-2011 06:26

There is a lot of experience/seasoning on CT. It's kinda hard to pick just one person.

Mas Ayoob

05-22-2011 06:42

Nomination appreciated, but must decline. My decades as a sworn officer have all been part time, though the full time work was in related fields.

4949, Dragoon, ChiefWPD and more are the ones in the running for most seasoned, IMHO.

Dragoon44

05-22-2011 07:12

Quote:

Originally Posted by txleapd
(Post 17382242)

There is a lot of experience/seasoning on CT. It's kinda hard to pick just one person.

^^^^^

This, To the OP, never make the mistake of equating years of service with seasoned or even competent. When I came on the job two of the officers with the most years of service (15 and 20 years respectively) were also the two most useless. They didn't have 15 and 20 years experience, they had one years experience repeated 15 and 20 times.

There are people that can learn how to be a good cop, there are people that seem literally born to do this job, they take to it like a fish to water and being a cop is not just a job or "what they do", it's what they are. Then there are those that if they stayed on the job for 50 years would still leave it without ever once being a good cop.

This board has a wealth of real "Seasoned" cops, many of them have many years of service while some have considerably less but still exhibit all the traits of a seasoned police officer.

In a medium like this those that have a gift for expressing themselves tend to stand out, but that does not mean they are more seasoned than many others. And those who are still on active duty have to be more restrained and watch what they say. While us old retired farts can say whatever we like.

That said there a those that I pay close attention to when they post, like seanmac45, series1811, SamSpade, SouthFla, Blueiron, CheifWPD, G27Chief, SAR, 4949, SwatBawana, are just a few.